At the start of their retirement 15 years ago, Sydney-based Anglican couple Daniel and Jeanie Ough made an unusual decision – they gave up the idea of owning or renting a home and became what they affectionately call “homeless by choice”.

But this wasn’t a leap into the unknown. It was a prayerfully considered plan to allow them to offer themselves fully to God’s mission, wherever and whenever they were needed.

“We knew that God was in charge and he’s sovereign,” Daniel Ough says. “We didn’t know what the plan was, we just knew that it was the right thing to do and that God would work out the details – and he did. He’s in the big picture and all the little details.”

The couple began to housesit, using their pensions and savings to fund travel so they could volunteer with Christian organisations around the world. With no home to tie them down, they were free to go where God opened a door.

Since 2011, they have undertaken 81 housesitting gigs across 57 locations, on six continents – from an organic banana farm in remote Queensland to a ranch in Texas to a flat in the shadow of Mount Everest.

“People often ask how we afford this lifestyle,” Mrs Ough says. “We tell them that we live simply, trust God and use the money we save on housing to fund our volunteering. The hospitality of others has made this possible – both through housesitting and because organisations we’ve served have often generously and thoughtfully hosted us.”

To get started they created their own website, and joined online platforms such as TrustedHousesitters and Christian House Sitters. As their list of referees built up, doors to new opportunities began to open.

They don’t charge for their services; their reward is found in the relationships they form, the animals they care for, and the way what they do allows them to support ministries around the world.

As long-time career coaches here and overseas, the Oughs have used their retirement to provide leadership coaching for churches, schools, hospitals, Bible colleges and mission organisations in Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Palestine, South America, Africa, the UAE, Nepal, Pakistan, Thailand and the Philippines. They have also provided mentoring, pastoral care and administrative support behind the scenes.

Many of their connections have come through long-term relationships with missionary organisations such as SIM (Serving in Mission), Operation Mobilisation (OM), Wycliffe Bible Translators and Pioneers.

One of their most unique ministry assignments had them spend a year living and working aboard OM’s Logos Hope ship, which visits ports around the world, offering Christian and educational resources and community involvement, including humanitarian assistance.

Says Mr Ough: “It has been very liberating to free ourselves of the burden of owning, valuing, caring for and carting around lots of possessions that used to seem essential. This has been a key element in our ability to respond to our next mission assignment without delay or the hassle of packing possessions.”

The Oughs have worked with theological seminaries in Sri Lanka and Namibia, Bible colleges in Malawi and Israel, and Christian hospitals in Nepal and Zambia – and they have been consistently supported, with prayer and encouragement, by their home church of Jannali Anglican.

Yet the work is not without its challenges. They once presented workshops at a church retreat in Bangladesh surrounded by armed guards. In Johannesburg, their driver explained he wouldn’t stop completely at red lights because of the night-time dangers of carjacking – and in addition to many front door locks there was a barred gate between the lounge and bedroom where they were staying, and a panic button beside the bed, in case of home invasion.

Another challenge arose when Mrs Ough contracted potentially life-threatening dengue fever and had to be hospitalised for five days in Sri Lanka.

Their faith has helped them to trust that God had a plan for using each of these experiences and, 15 years in, they have no regrets. They may not own a house, but they’ve called dozens of places “home”. Their journey isn’t defined by possessions, but by relationships, faith and impact.

“Don’t look at retirement as a finishing line; think of it more like standing at the starting blocks, ready to run a new race,” Mr Ough says. “For us, housesitting was a way to free up our lives so we could respond more flexibly to God’s call for coaching ministry teams. For others, it will be something completely different.

“Start by seeing retirement as an opportunity to focus on helping others – around the corner or around the world. Adventure may follow!”